1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information service in a telecommunications environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a telecommunications system and method for a calling party to obtain information when the calling party dials a service number and provides an unrecognized number corresponding to the information sought by the calling party.
2. Background Information
A need exists to ascertain information associated with an unrecognized number. For example, when a customer of a telecommunications service provider receives a phone bill, the customer may see an unrecognized number. The customer may wish to ascertain information associated with the unrecognized number, such as the name and address of the subscriber corresponding to the unrecognized number, without first calling the number directly.
Additionally, a customer of a telecommunications service provider may receive a phone call and need to ascertain information associated with an unrecognized number, such as when an emergency call center receives a call from a wireless subscriber number, the call is hung-up or dropped, and the emergency call center is not able to successfully call back the wireless subscriber to obtain additional information.
Currently, the customer of a telecommunications service provider may obtain the information associated with a listed unrecognized number by calling a telecommunications service provider's business office and making an inquiry through a business agent. However, manually answering inquiries to determine the associated information is an inefficient use of telecommunications service provider manpower. In addition, customers requesting information may waste time waiting for a customer service representative at the business office to answer the phone, determine whether the information exists, and provide the information if it exists.
In some areas, an automated service may be provided for customers to obtain information associated with a listed unrecognized number. For example, a customer in Chicago, Ill. may dial 796-9600 in order to connect with an interactive service that associates an unrecognized number with information of a corresponding subscriber. However, because the 796-9600 number corresponds to a terminating number, the process of activating any service logic, including performing a database inquiry, may only be possible after a connection is made to 796-9600. In other words, 796-9600 does not take advantage of features of an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) that uses dispersed network resources to handle the call. Accordingly, the 796-9600 service may be limited by equipment constraints or prohibitive equipment requirements.
Additionally, a person may use the World Wide Web by, for example, visiting whitepages.com or reversephonedirectory.com and entering an unrecognized number to determine if the unrecognized number is listed and obtain information corresponding to the number if the number is listed. Information for unlisted numbers may not be accessible whatsoever on the World Wide Web due to privacy concerns or legal restrictions, even if the person making the inquiry is legally authorized to obtain such information.
Accordingly, customers may be willing to incur a monthly charge or a charge each time they call an unrecognized number identifier service to determine information associated with a listed number. An automated method and system for obtaining the associated information may turn an unprofitable service into a profitable service for a telecommunications service provider. Moreover, using a shortened dialing pattern will likely lead to increased usage as customers can more readily remember the number associated with the service.
A telecommunications system and method are needed for automatically obtaining information associated with a listed number so that the information associated with the listed number may be easily provided to a telecommunications service provider customer when a shortened dialing pattern is entered and the unrecognized number is provided. In addition, a telecommunications system and method are needed for automatically obtaining information associated with an unlisted number so that the information associated with the unlisted number may be provided to an authorized party, such as a public safety official or an authorized legal authority.
To solve the above-described problems, a telecommunications system and method are provided for providing an unrecognized number identification service in a telecommunications environment.